A Long Time Coming Home
by DeathByMushrooms
Summary: 10 songs.  10 moments in the lives of various characters.  Rated T for one use of the f-bomb.  Multiple ships.


**A/N:** Decided to do that 10 song challenge thing. Maybe it will get me back in the swing of things.

This was written in one sitting and without a proof-reading. So it's 100% raw. Also, I admit I cheated a bit. I might've written these in the time frame of listening to the song twice, not once, as the rules stipulate. But, that's a writer for you, right? ;-)

**I just realized** that I did 11 instead of 10 because I did #8 twice! This is now fixed. Didn't I say it wasn't proof-read at all? Haha.

I know most people choose just one couple or character to focus on, but I wanted to be a bit broader. It was tough not to do a bunch of Addek scenes. Heh. All of these songs can be found on youtube if you want to listen. Some of them aren't direct matches to what the songs are about, but I honestly just wrote what came to mind when I heard the song. :)

The title was also randomly selected. It's _**Long Time Coming**_ by Delays.

Anyway...

**1. James Blunt – _Same Mistake_**

Preston Burke was a proud man. Normally, he was calm, confident, and logically-minded. He had been praised as a god of cardio-thoracics more than once. When that occurred, he would simply smile humbly and reassure the speaker that he was just a hard worker. But of course, he was flawed—god or not. His biggest flaw was his pride.

He looked up from the letter in his hands. He had read it through five times now. One hand began to shake. He ignored it, as always he did. Though the words were on paper, he could see her face, hear her voice as if she were standing in front of him.

"_I just thought you should know; I'm getting married."_

It stung. But he deserved it. He had left, and now someone had been recast in his place. Perhaps in the back of his mind, he always thought that there would be time for a second chance. How very arrogant a thought that was; even if this wish was ever granted, he was sure that it would be for the worse. He knew that his second biggest flaw was his inability to learn from his mistakes. His pride would always come first.

**2. Cary Brothers – _Blue Eyes_**

"Dance with me."

"I don't think that's how that works. I believe that _I _am supposed to ask _you_."

"You know, I thought the same thing. But then I realized I've been sitting across from you all night while this surprisingly talented band coincidentally plays all of my favorite songs."

"Your favorites, huh?"

"They might as well be. Are you coming?"

"I can't dance."

"Everyone can dance. Come on."

She stood from the table and he let her take his hand. He had to admit, he liked the way she took charge. Most women he knew were too submissive for his taste. They were in the middle of the room, one of only a handful of couples actually dancing. He was surprised at how easily he could conform to her body even outside of bed, like two pieces from a puzzle. As the band headed into an instrumental and the song came to its end, their eyes met and locked.

"I love you, Addison." The words rolled off his tongue like he had been saying them forever.

She smiled, their gaze unbreakable. "I love you too, blue eyes." And it was there, in that instant, that she knew she would never let him go.

**3. Stereophonics – _Dakota_**

Alex liked to think he was good at the whole "no-strings-attached" thing. Love'm and leave'm, that whole bit. But something changed when he met Izzie Stevens. Something changed when he messed things up with Izzie Stevens. And he felt like he had finally done something right when he married Izzie Stevens. But where was she now? What was she doing? Was she even okay? All he knew, was that he had agreed to love her and take care of her with the full knowledge that she could die tomorrow—and then she had left him. She made him feel like he could be "the one," only to leave without as much as a proper "goodbye." But then she comes back, and expects all to be forgiven? He didn't deserve that, after everything he had done for her. For them.

But every night, just as he's crossing the line between consciousness and sleep, her face is the last thing he sees. And every morning, he still wakes up and hopes that she will be next to him.

So what was he supposed to do?

Where was he going now?

**4. The Postal Service – _Such Great Heights_**

"I can't believe we just got married. I hope this doesn't cause too much, you know, _drama_ at work."

"Yeah, well, we're gonna be big. So get used to it."

"Oh, yeah? Says who?"

He rolled over on the hard hotel-room bed to face her, cradling his head in one hand propped up by an elbow. He looked like he wanted to say something. But he just smiled. Then he kissed her. When he pulled back, their noses were almost touching. "Because this was the best idea ever. I can't believe I didn't think of it before. Vegas or not, this is where we were meant to end up, Grey."

"It's 'Avery' now, thank-you." She giggled. "And you _could_ call me 'Lexie' now, you know."

**5. Colin Hay – (_I Just Don't Think I'll Ever) Get Over You_**

Today was going to be the day. After four wasted years, three candles on a little girl's birthday cake, two dead-in-the-water relationships, and one perpetually lonely man, Alex was going to call it off. Sure, the sex was great. And he loved her. God, did he love her. He wasn't sure when that had happened, now that he thought about it. He didn't think he had ever even said that to her. Not that it would have made much of a difference, anyway. She was married to Mc-Fucking-Dreamy. He was just the go-to guy. Never mind that Shepherd had become largely absent and had driven his wife into the arms of another man—history repeating. Never mind that their daughter had Alex's eyes and not Shepherd's. Never mind that Alex and Meredith spent more time together than Derek and Meredith. He would always be the go-to guy, and nothing more, to her. And today, he'd woken up realizing that he was sick of it. And so he was going to end it, even if it meant never seeing her again or relocating his career. This time, he was going to do what was best for him.

He picked up his cell phone to call her. This would be it. They would meet, and he would tell her. Maybe she would cry. Maybe she would pretend to give a damn—

The phone rang in his hand. He answered.

"Alex? I know it's late, but do you think you could come over? I need you..."

He sighed, but hardly missed a beat. "Absolutely. I'll be there in half an hour."

**6. Oasis – _Wonderwall_**

"This song is stupid."

"It is not! Oh my god. How could you even say that? It's Oasis!"

"It's what?"

"Just what kind of music do you listen to, Mark?"

He appeared to be wracking his brain. "Not... this..."

"_Really_? I tell you this song reminds me of you, and you insult it? I don't know how we get along so well. It's like you embody everything that made me give up on your gender."

He laughed, much to her aggravation. "You're so cute when you're angry."

"Out. Just. _Out_." Callie waved her hands toward the door to the apartment, and Mark got off the couch.

"I was going to anyway, if you planned to put on more of this kind of crap."

She only glared this time. He raised his eyebrows and moved toward the door. After he had exited, he poked his head back through. "Don't tell anyone, but I like the song. You're a good friend, Callie."

"Gross." But she was smiling.

**7. Billy Joel – _You May Be Right_**

Addison had wondered whose motorcycle was always parked outside her lecture hall for virology every Monday and Wednesday morning. So, being a single female, she decided to lurk around it for a while, at least to see if it belonged to anyone from her class. She was surprised when a weedy-looking young man came up and began positioning a helmet atop his untamed dark hair. She must have been quite surprised, because she forgot to move for a moment.

"You like motorcycles?" said the boy.

She ignored his question. "I know you. You're in virology with Dr. Jefferson, right? You always sit near the front and ask all the questions, so that the lecture ends up being more your questions and less exam material."

He smiled, but didn't look embarrassed as Addison herself probably would have. "Yeah. That would be me. I'm Derek. Derek Shepherd."

"Addison Montgomery." She paused. "I just can't believe you're the one who drives the motorcycle I always see out here." Why did that come out of her mouth? What a rude thing to say.

"I'm not sure if I should be insulted, but there are a lot of things about me you won't be able to believe." She liked his grin and the glint in his eyes, if she were being honest with herself. "You wanna go for a ride? I have an extra helmet." He held it up for proof.

"Absolutely."

Clearly, Addison Forbes Montgomery had gone crazy.

**8. Mike Doughty – _I Hear The Bells_**

There was a very brief window in which Mark truly believed that Addison might love him. It was early October in New York City. They were sitting opposite one another in some posh cafe of her choosing, and he was busy listening.

"We should go to Paris." Her face was dreamy and optimistic. A nice change; normally she was too distant to reach.

"You hate Paris." He smiled.

"I've hated Paris in the past. Maybe I'll like it better with you."

He liked the sound of this and wanted to hear more, so he pressed on. "But for Christmas though? The whole world will be there."

"I hope so." She beamed and leaned forward across her mug then whispered, "that way, we can make the whole world jealous."

The feeling was short-lived, much like their relationship. But for one small moment, he had hope.

**9. Elton John - _This Train Don't Stop There Anymore_**

"So, when are you getting married, Mark?"

He laughed nervously, a little too loudly. "Who needs to get married?" he scoffed.

Derek shook his head, a peculiar little smile playing at the corners of his lips. He looked like he had something serious on his mind. Mark didn't like it when his friend got this way. "Whatever happened to Lexie? To Addison? To any of them?"

"Aw, come on. We don't have to do this, do we?" He drained the last of his beer and reached for another from the cooler between their chairs. "We could just, you know, fish."

"I'm just worried about you." Derek met his eyes at last, but the smile was gone.

Mark sighed, giving up. "I don't believe in that kind of stuff anymore."

"You sure about that?"

Mark took a moment to take in what he meant. It made him uncomfortable. He didn't like sharing. "I was in love with Addison for years. You know that. I was willing to give it all up for her. She just... broke my heart. And then there was Lexie, and I felt like I could finally put Addison behind me. Like Lexie could be my... saving grace, or whatever. That didn't last. So it's easier to just say I don't believe in it anymore, that I'm happier as a bachelor—because then I can't get hurt anymore."

**10. Snow Patrol – _Hands Open_**

"I'm still mad at you, you know."

"Probably not for long."

"Oh, yes. For long. For very long. Wait, I'm not even speaking to you." Arizona turned her back, pretending to tidy the appliances on the kitchen counter.

Callie leaned on the counter next to her and grinned. "I have a surprise."

Arizona paused for a moment, then continued to work, ignoring her. Callie, for one, could hardly remember what she had done for this silent treatment to begin in the first place. She just knew that she didn't like not having Arizona to share things with, to make her day go by quicker and better.

"I happen to have two tickets to Sufjan Stevens. You know, your favorite musician?" She smiled, pulling them out of the pocket of her slacks.

"Oh, you're bribing me!"

"I think it's working; you're talking." She held the tickets by her shoulder, just out of Arizona's reach.

"Ugh. Will he be playing _Chicago_?"

"Of course he'll be playing _Chicago_! Wanna go?"

She huffed and glared, but then, just as Callie had hoped, that sweet smile broke out across her face. She was forgiven.

**11. Coldplay – _Viva La Vida_**

"I've never seen you so passionate about _anything_."

"That's because you've never seen me at a baseball game."

"I think those guys were seriously going to beat you up."

"Probably."

"You're not at all bothered by this?"

"I grew up a Yankees fan in a Red Sox neighborhood. You get used to it."

"Seriously?"

"Have you never been to a baseball game, Meredith?"

"I don't think so..."

"Even growing up in Boston? Never?"

"Nope."

"That's unbelievable. Really. I think baseball is the only thing I really, honestly miss about New York. My dad, Mark, and I—we used to go to every home game. Then I suppose it was just me and Mark. Baseball taught me everything I need to know about life. I miss it. Sure, Seattle has the Mariners. But what they don't have is Yankee Stadium, New York hotdogs, the best short stop in the game, Babe Ruth's jersey, twenty-seven World Series titles, forty league pennants, and sixteen division titles."

"Why do you retain such useless knowledge?"

"Useless? This is baseball we're talking about."

"Is it? Sounds more like this is New York we're talking about."

"Well, you know what they say. You can take a man from New York, but not the New York from the man. At least not when that man's a Yankees fan."

**A/N:** What did you think? Which was the best? Which was the worst? Which would be best as a full-length story? Or should I just finish the projects I have? Haha.


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